There are a number of instances, inclusive of injuries, surgery and the like, for which cold therapy is prescribed. To this end, water proof pads have been devised in various sizes and shapes to be applied against or wrapped about a body part to be treated. Each pad has an inlet and an outlet and a path within the pad extending between the inlet and the outlet through which cold water is filled and removed from the pad or circulated through the pad.
In recent years there has been a marked increase in sports activities, for example, and a marked increase in a number of people participating therein. As a result, there has been an increased demand for a simple, portable, cold therapy system, capable of use in the home or elsewhere. It will further be understood that the use of such systems is not limited to sports injuries.
Prior art workers have devised a number of cold therapy systems in an attempt to meet this demand. One approach is to provide a pad for application to the body area to be treated, a cooler filled with ice and water, and a tube extending from the cooler to the pad. The cooler is held above the pad so that chilled water is introduced into the pad from the cooler by gravity. As the chilled water in the pad warms from body heat, the cooler can be placed in a position below the pad, causing the pad to drain into the cooler. After a short time the water is recooled by the ice in the cooler and the process may be repeated. Such a system requires considerable manipulation by the user, and does not provide an even cold temperature at the treatment site.
Recently, a number of prior an workers have devised cold therapy systems wherein cold water is continuously circulated through a pad by means of a pump. An example of such a system is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,951.
In prior an systems utilizing a pump, it is usual that the pump is submerged in a reservoir of water and ice or pre-frozen ice units. Such systems generally require a rather large amount of water with respect to the amount of ice used. They again require a fair amount of set-up by the user and are subject to spillage. Since the pump is located within the reservoir of water and ice, heat generated by the pump directly affects the chilled water reservoir.
The present invention is directed to a cold therapy system which overcomes a number of the deficiences of prior art systems. According to the present invention, a reservoir for water and ice is provided in the form of a flexible, waterproof, open-top bag. The open top may be rolled to a closed condition and maintained therein by a drawstring. The reservoir bag is located in a standard cooler having a closure lid. This approach greatly reduces the chances of spillage and air space between the cooler and the reservoir bag further contribute to the insulation of the bag from ambient temperature. The reservoir bag is connected to a treatment pad through a pump and an insulated delivery tube. The pad is connected by an insulated return tube to the reservoir bag. The pump is mounted in a housing affixed to the exterior of the cooler so that the ice and water are isolated from any heat generated by the pump.
The pump of the present invention is a multi-speed design, enabling control of the water temperature returning from the pad by means of flow rate, eliminating the need for restrictive valves or the like. The system requires a minimum of water, allowing the use of more ice. This not only further reduces the chances of spillage, but also enables the treatment time to be extended. Finally, the system is provided with a liquid crystal temperature indicator located in the return line.